1433 Tasting Notes
October 2021 Tea
This is a pretty lovely rooibos. Like I knew it would be alright because Anne’s bananas, but it also tastes (and makes my room smell) exactly like my mom’s buttery banana muffins – subbing the butter for coconut oil. Very good stuff. Also, the cinnamon levels in here are finally perfect for me (nutmeg is first, hurrah!) – thank you so much, Anne.
I don’t know why I made the point of drinking a caffeine-free beverage this evening if I was just going to drink a 45oz pot of Alfajores Yunnan Golden Needle immediately after though. I may regret this in a few hours but am pretty happy in the moment.
Flavors: Butter, Cinnamon, Coconut, Nutmeg
Preparation
October 2021 Tea
Man, this tea was so disappointing. It arrived this morning and it didn’t even last the day before I was forced to toss its’ little packet out. The. Worst.
…
Honestly though, this tea evaporated way too quickly. I caught my mom trying to resteep my already twice steeped cup in a desperate attempt to wring more life out of the drained leaves, but that session was done like dinner. It has a flavour profile much loved by the whole family it seems. It tastes like coconut and dulce de leche and feels like a spiritual sibling to the delicious Butterbeer; quite marvellous.
I also feel compelled to mention one cup in particular (the First Cup) that was super creamy (like vibrant cream cheese icing creamy) due to the contamination of one (1) leftover milk oolong leaf in the strainer. It was a secret forbidden combo that shouldn’t have worked but did. Oh, yes, it did. This “unfortunate” contamination is partially what incited the premature demise of this tea. Clearly, I needed to try the tea in a clean strainer, in order to see if it was still delicious, you know (Spoiler: it was). Then I needed to see how much I could resteep it. And so on. It was a day.
Steep Count: 2 × 3 (steeped in 5 big mugs plus a giant 45 oz / 1278 ml teapot).
(I thought my subscription was done but apparently I had one more month left. I look forward to its eventual renewal in 2022. In the meantime I will languish not so silently.)
Flavors: Caramel, Coconut, Cream, Honey, Malt, Sugar
Preparation
You had me going for a moment – but I was thinking after reading the first line – “but … but … didn’t she just order more of this?” Like I said, you had me going. I’m really glad you enjoyed this – I love how this one turned out. So yummy.
This tea was so terrible I thought I’d do the charitable thing and quickly buy more in the desperate hope that at least a one or two others would be spared from sharing my unfortunate experience (of drinking delicious tea).
I’m a considerate and generous person. ;)
That is the kindest, most generous act of tea kindness that I’ve heard.
see…like i want this! but it’s killing me that there aren’t a lot of other teas i need/want. Not having my tea mule means shipping fees suck. I hate covid
I hear you, Sil. The covid/shipping/border stuff is..not ideal; looking forward to setting up an easy-use Blaine,WA PO box when it’s feasible again (miss you, Blaine). This in-between stage is a bit of a tease.
I think this batch is from the 2018 Christmas reblend.
I should’ve finished this off by now but the tisanes and like tend to get neglected in my cupboard (ie – they are hidden behind mounds of black tea, which has overflown it’s section, and are outstaged by guayusa/mate, which they share a divider with). I see my last note for this honeybush was about a year ago, and consumed for much the same reason as tonight – wacky sleep. It’s something I seem to struggle with during the fall.
I love the jammy, bright raspberry here – a flavour which is complimented by the natural sweetness of honeybush. The almond is pretty tasty too but it’s my least favourite nut flavour due to a perceived “thinness” – but it’s not bad when it’s pound up for cookie flour, as it is in this blend. Even after all this time the lingering aftertaste is such a convincing tart flavoured almond cookie. As it cools slightly a buttery note comes out every now and then (but so does sunflower, haha). Respect!
Flavors: Almond, Berry, Butter, Cookie, Jam, Raspberry, Tart
Preparation
My four year old niece came over to visit today and, while she was under the weather (get well soon!) and was super moody, she was also an adorable distraction from the seasonal blah today (feeling very blah). My mom’s out of town cousin also called the family today and reminisced about the whole extended family. Extremely nostalgic and more blah.
I’m glad I dipped into this one in the afternoon because it’s like wrapping up into a luxurious blanket. Also, it steeps up quick (20s) and that’s an added comfort when things got busy today. A most dependent and favourite tea.
Steep Count: 6
Flavors: Butter, Coconut, Mango, Milk, Mineral, Vegetal
Preparation
Maybe it is because of the shorter days. The end of DST usually throws me off a bit, too. Hope the blahs blow away!
So glad that you had this tea to coddle you during this batch of the blahs. And the other nice things that the day included, of course.
Hope the blahs lighten up a bit. Light helps. A friend swears by her Happy Light. I’ve considered getting one.
Here, we’ve had a few dark grim days, but now, we have a bit of freak warm bright weather and I am grateful. I hope you get a bit of warm brightness coming your way too.
Evol: I am glad you said that. I have been looking at some lights, wondering how much they help. Meanwhile, I am intentionally opening the blinds and sitting in a sunny patch on the floor of the den each morning to see if that helps. We have a north facing porch so that shades the front windows and a back carport that shades the back windows. There are only two windows that let in lots of light in winter.
I found a little sliver of full sun this morning and it was a big deal. I do need to look into some lighting :)
DST kicks my butt every year. That’s all I’m going to say on the matter because the rest of my feelings towards the time changes aren’t nice.
Another thing which may be helpful is switching light bulbs to natural light light bulbs. I bought some with good intentions and promptly put them somewhere very safe, very very safe. I hope they turn up one day.
Yep, I think light is a thing. May we all have more of it.
September 2021 Tea
This lives up to its namesake and some pretty sweet ingredients (haha..ha). I’m a big fan of the maple, vanilla, and nutmeg here. It’s a super indulgent and satisfying cup and I’m sad that I’m so close to finishing it up (will save it for that American Thanksgiving sipdown theme). Also, 52teas once again shows me that honeybush & rooibos don’t necessarily need to be on my “avoid” list. “No Caffeine” evenings could be fun (if it was always hosted by 52teas).
Taken with milk (maple teas always get the milk).
Flavors: Cinnamon, Maple Syrup, Nutmeg, Vanilla
Preparation
Honeybush blends really nicely with pastry-ish and ice cream-ish flavors.
Hear, hear!
This is definitely one of my favorite honeybush blends I’ve ever created.
Oh, yeah.. travelling down memory lane I remember absolutely loving Lemon Cream Cheese Danish Honeybush (wish I’d bought extra) and greatly enjoying Raspberry Almond Cookie (still hoarding this). This one is up there among my favourites too :)
Never got the chance to try ice-cream-ish honeybush flavours but can imagine the magical chemistry (and longingly pine).
The Walter Bishop whatever whatever was pretty great too. There have been many, actually. I need to get back into the groove of drinking my non-caffeinated blends.
Yep, if anyone can do honeybush/rooibos blends, it’s 52Teas!
Ok, trying to manage my caffeine better so this giant family pot is it despite wanting to drink all the tea in my cupboard. Maybe I can squeeze in a tisane :)
I know this one has a Christmas name but peppermint vanilla is never out of fashion here (I do put it away during the summer in favour for fruity teas though; this batch is from last year). It’s also a family favourite, along with Pumpkin Chai and Cardamom French Toast, so is usually steeped up as giant communal pot anytime of the year. It’s a little flat and very much an artificial candy tea but sometimes that just does the trick.
Taken with milk.
Flavors: Candy, Peppermint, Vanilla
Preparation
2021 Spring Harvest
I don’t normally go for oxidized/roasted oolong, and was actually kind of leery when I realized that’s what I got here. This feeling of unease was confirmed on the first sip, which tasted like soapy roasted waffle cone, and then was abandoned on the proceeding second sip where it the cup became a lightly sugared waffle cone – minus soap (acceptable). I’m still not in love but I think the GABA style gives this a sort of fun sweet potato/stone fruit flavour on first steep. It keeps me amused and is growing on me as I sip away.
In summary: this tastes like a waffle cone, with sweet potato incorporation, and light sour cherry drizzling (also a hint of lime and cranberry). It’s sort of creamy so feels like vegan ice cream. If this had rosemary it could make a super convincing imitation of one of my ice cream favourites from Victoria’s Cold Comfort – Rosemary and Sour Cherry. It’s killer and here are all of the ice cream flavours they’ve made (many of which I think should become tea): https://www.coldcomfort.ca/flavours .
Western Style Steep Count: 4
Third Steep @ 2min30s: Starting to pick up cacao mixing with the stonefruit. Waffle cone is plain malt now. It’s tart and creamy. Still believe it’s begging for the herbaceous rosemary and think it’s partway there already with the more bitter notes. As the cup continues to cool, a huge dose of sweetness comes through that’s pretty fancy – it’s almost like cantaloupe. The sweet syrup disappeared when it reached room temp.
Flavors: Cacao, Cantaloupe, Cherry, Cranberry, Creamy, Fruity, Grain, Lime, Malt, Pastries, Powdered Sugar, Sour, Stonefruit, Sweet Potatoes, Tart
Preparation
I never thought about waffle cone as a flavor descriptor before, but now that you mention it, it makes sense!
It’s what my brain defaults on every time I have a roasted oolong no matter what I do! I often feel like I rank them on the quality of waffle cone (is it stale?) + and also “would I place the oolong’s other flavour notes near waffle cone” :)
Oh my goodness – it’s been so long since I’ve had this. I think it’s from an order four years ago, possibly? I don’t think Mandala even uses the same puerh base for it anymore… I need to polish this off and then queue for a distant future order, with the all-important Milk Oolong.
This tastes possibly more fermented than I remember. Definite sourdough.
Steep Count: 2
Flavors: Bread, Camphor, Cream, Earth, Nuts, Pleasantly Sour, Toasted Rice
Preparation
The all important milk oolong, ahem. That one’s been on my list for a really long while. I am not making another tea order. Nope, not doing it. This month has already been beyond the beyond. Far too many weak moments. (Aand there might be another one.)
I’ve a pretty good supply of milk oolong remaining – and even enough to throw meager sample quantities into “the wild” of Steepster! Also have a good supply of treasured Sticky Rice Oolong and Oolong Caramel au Beurre Salé, if things get dire. :P I don’t see myself “needing” to ordering from Mandala until next summer/fall. Milk Oolong is essential to my tea life though.
I haven’t checked out Yunnan Sourcing yet though – so if my cupboard gets down and I want some puerh I may look over there XD
“The wild” of Steepster! How perfect!
Your posts often have that tempting enabler quality about them and I think that’s what I was responding to. That and the fact that, happily ans/or sadly, my finger has not been far from the add to cart button this month. And that this particular milk oolong has long been on my list.
I will pick some up eventually. I don’t really need to have it soon.I too often stock the treasures. However, things are really chaotic here and treasures emerge with yet more upheavals. Moving my bed around in search of elusive solid sleep, away from neighbours and their shenanigans, is not helping with the order of things.
I hope you find some peace and balance in your home soon. Those neighbours sound like.. a lot.
My sleep is definitely disturbed recently (not external/environmental though), and it’s a vicious cycle of over-caffeinating and hugging tea as coping mechanism; that’s probably subtly creeped into my tasting notes. I’ll try to switch to sad rooibos notes; I have so much drab rooibos and old tea that I should drink up before posting about the “new-ish” and flashy stuff. :P
Thank you. They are, and have been,… a lot.
I’m sorry that that cycle has sent you off kilter for the past bit. That sucks. I suspect we are all self-medicating to find our way through. That sad rooibos—I pass by, I look at it, and choose something more thrilling. Though to be fair to rooibos and honey bush, I enjoy it when I choose it and make it. Even the faded stuff. Same for the old tea. There are some that likely I will not be drinking, but can’t seem to toss them. Always in search of the thrill/ comfort or whatever it is that is needed at the time.
I have this and still have yet to open it. It smells deeply smoky and earthy. When I don’t forget about its existence completely I often wonder when I will finally have the nerves to crack it open. It was supposed to be the first of many puerh cakes.. but here we are.. me and it. Alone together.
One day I will drink some. Probably tomorrow actually. Baby steps.
Sipdown!
It’s alright but not generally what I look for in my green oolong or natural jin xuan types. It has an almost “light roast” veggie quality that’s not quite working for me here (like bitter spinach? definitely grassy). I get more lemon verbena (don’t love verbena) than lemon proper.. maybe lemon zest, but imho, this isn’t buttery enough for full-blown “curd” (although there is some nice butter/cream notes, especially on 2nd steep).
Steep Count: 4
Third steep-: I’m reminded of a buttery water chestnut (weird, but kind of like cross a between an apple and a coconut). Somewhat lemony. Also softened spinach for sure now.
Fourth Steep @3min: coconut, butter, mellowed out grass, sweetish lemon (mostly nose/finish). Favourite cup so far.
Flavors: Apple, Butter, Coconut, Cream, Floral, Grass, Lemon Zest, Mineral, Roasted, Spinach, Tart
Did you sleep at all?
I did! I got under 6hrs, so that’s ok – but it was way too late.
Tonight will be better. No giant pots.